Combined door, lock, and indicator for carriers used in pneumatic tubes.



PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

P. J. MADIGAN. GOMBINED DOOR, LOCK, AND INDICATOR FOR CARRIERS USED IN PNEUMATIC TUBES. rum-non 11.21) FEB. 25,1905

JiweraoW faiq c/bJ/fawai ii? M am i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK J. MADIGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED DOOR, LOCK, AND INDICATOR FOR CARRIERS USED IN PNEUMATIC TUBES.

Specification of Letters I aw-..

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed February 25, 1905. Serial No. 247,309.

To all LU77/0777/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. MADIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 6635 Langley avenue, in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Door, Lock, and Indicator for Carriers Used in Pneumatic Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the combination of doors, locks, and indicators of that class of carriers used for the transmission of mail and other matter through penumatic tubes, the doors of which are required to be locked while in transmission to different stations on the line of the tube.

The object of my invention is to provide a combination door, lock, and indicator for the carrier which can be closed, locked, and indication set by the movement of the handle; that when closed, locked, and set cannot be forced open by the concussive, rotative, or centrifugal force developed in the movement of the carrier through the tube; that can be instantly closed, locked, set, and unlocked with the hand; that when closed, locked, and

set will indicate the station at which the contents of the carrier is to be received, and also indicates that it is either the only carrier or is the last of a number of carriers destined for one particular station. The manner in which I accomplish these objects is set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a face view of the door, handle, and indicator in the positions when the door is closed and bolted. Fig. 2 is. an inside View of the door, showing the arrangement of the bolts and connecting mechanism, the dotted lines showing the position of the bolts and other parts when the door is unlocked and open. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view on the line 1 1, Fig. 1, the parts being shown in the bolted position. Fig. 4 is a side view of part of the carrier with the door closed and locked.

The carrier A is of the regular cylindrical form provided with two bearing-rings B, only one of which is shown. At one end of this carrier is a door 0, permanently connected with the carrier by a hinge-joint D. The back E of the door is in the form of a circular shallow pan. The raised part F of the back E is adapted to fit inside of the carrier, as shown by the dotted line F I in Fig. 4, and isflanged at the edge G to cover and fit the end of the carrier, as shown in Fig. 4. Arranged within this back are three bolts H, supported in bearings I and free to slide therein. The ends of each of these bolts extend through suitable holes in the raised part F of the back E. Two of these bolts are each pivotally connected to bell-crank levers J. Each of these levers are held on the pivotstuds K, afiixed in the back E. The third bolt is part of a sliding bar L, which extends across the center of the back E. On the top of this bar is a vertical post M. 'On the un der side of the bar is a transverse channel N. This channel is adapted to receive the ends 0 of the levers J, as shown in Fig. 2. A projection P on the end of the sliding bar L is adapted to strike the hinge-joint D and act as a stop.

Afiixed in the back E are four supports R,

having threaded holes and adapted to form a base for the cover S, which is firmly secured by screws held in said supports R. In the center of this cover is an oblong aperture through which the post M projects. This aperture is adapted in width to fit said post and in length to limit the sliding movement of the post M, which is free to be moved back and forth in said aperture, and thereby permits the bolts I-Ito be withdrawn from the bolt-holes in the carrier when the door is to be opened and to be forced into said carrier when the door is shut: On the face of the cover S is a lug T and near it a lock-pin U, the purposes of which will be described hereinafter. Near the outer edge of the cover S are two sets of figures, the left-side figures being indicated with a capital X, and is thereby designated as the X side of the cover.

Attached to the post M, which projects through its center, is the handle V, provided with a projected top ring V. On the bottom of the handle V is a circular washer V and resting on this washer is a flat spring V having an aperture adapted to fit the fiat sides of the post M. This spring is curved so that the ends rest on said washer, the center part being raised some distance above the washer. Through a hole in the post M a cotter-pin V is passed and made fast. The spring V is compressed between this cotterpin and the washer V the pressure of the spring forcing the handle down upon the cover S, the curve of the spring permitting the handle to'be raised from the cover, this movement, however, being limited by the curve of the spring and the cotter-pin. Thus attached the handle is free to be lifted slightly off the cover and to be rotated to the right or left, the post M forming the pivot. In the base V of the handle are a number of holes V corresponding in number and radial position with the figures on the cover. Each of these holes is adapted to fit on the lock pin U on the cover S. Affixed to the base V is a finger-point V adapted to pass over lug T and point to each of the figures on the cover as the handle is rotated. Underneath this finger-point on the base V is an open slot V adapted to receive the lug T and to permit the handle to be moved toward the hinged joint D, carrying with it the post M and sliding bar L, thereby actuating the levers J and drawing the bolts H into the position required to open or close the door. When in that position, the slot V engages the lug T and locks the handle so it cannot be revolved. When the door is closed,the handle is pulled down to the center. This movement operates the bar L and levers J, thereby forcing out the bolts H into the carrier, and bolts the door. To look the door after it is bolted, the handle is grasped by the hand, the fingers extending over the projectin ring V, above the linger-point V, the palm of the hand resting on the other side of said ring as a fulcrum. A lifting pressure is then exerted through the fingers and the pointer, and that part of the base of the handle to which it is affixed is lifted off the lockpin U and is then turned to the right or to the left, as shown by the dotted finger-points in Fig. 1. When the handle is so turned, the finger-point is opposite the desired transfer, the lifting pressure of the fingers is released, and the force of the spring V presses the handle down onto the cover and over the lockpin U, which is then engaged in one ofthe holes in its base, and thereby locks the door.

When the finger points to any figure on the right-hand side of the door, it indicates the number of the station at which its contents is to be received and that one or more carriers are to follow the first. When the finger is turned to a figure on the left side of the door, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, it indicates the station at which it is to be received and that it is either the only carrier to be received at that station or that it is the last of a number destined for that station. To unlock and open the door, the handle is grasped as before, the lifting pressure applied, and the handle revolved until the finger-point is over the lug T, at which point only can the door be unlocked, as the base V of the handles cannot be lifted above the lug T, and therefore cannot be forced toward the hinged joint till the slot V is in position to pass the lug.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a carrier ofthe kind described, a door '0 pivotally attached thereto; a locking mechanism in said door consisting of the bolts H, levers J, sliding bar L, a handle V attached to said bar and a lug T on the cover of said door; an indicator mechanism on said door consisting of a handle V revolubly supported on the post M on the sliding bar L; a series of holes V in the base of said handle, and a locking-pin-U on the cover of said door adapted to be engaged in said holes, a pointer V extending radially from the base of said handle, and a cover S having a series of figures thereon, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a door 0 having parts E and S and being adapted to be pivotally attached to a carrier A; bolts H, connecting-levers J and operating-bar L having a post M, supported in said door; a handle V revolubly' supported on said post; a base V forming part of said handle and having a slot V a lug T on the part S of said door adapted to be engaged by said base and to enter said slot; a series of holes in said base and a pin U on the part S adapted to enter said holes and a pointer V forming part of said base of said handle, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

3. In a device of the kind described, the

combination of a door C pivotally attached 1 to a carrier A said door being formed of a main body E and a cover S; with a pair of bolts H, connecting-levers J, sliding bar L having a post M and a handle V revolubly attached to said post; said handle having a base provided with a slot and series of holes; a lug on said cover adapted to engage said base, and a pin adapted to enter said holes in said base, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

4. In a device of the kind described the combination of a door C pivotally attached to a carrier A, said door being formed of the parts E and S; and bolts H, levers J and a sliding bar L havin a post M; with a handle adapted to be attac ed to said post and revoluble thereon, said handle having a base with a slot and series of holes therein; and a lug T, and pin U adapted to be engaged by sald base; and a pointer V substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

5. In a device'lof the kind described, the a pointer substantially as described and for OOIIlblIlfifilOIl of Sa filoor O fiirmeld ff Earts E the purposes specified. and S, t e art avin a u 00 -pin U and series o l radial figur gs an d bolts H, lever PATRICK MADIGAN 5 J, sliding bar L having a post M and'handle Witnesses:

V; With a baseV forming part of said handle, JosEPH STAAB I said base having a slot and series of holes and I JULIUS RUBINSTEIbLl l 

